Tuesday, November 10, 2009

I enjoy watching NCIS. Gibbs has rules. I get that. I don't watch many shows, because they are mostly the same, and waste my time, but the lot fell to NCIS...and I like it.

Everybody lives by rules, we all seem to have them, and we all get fairly irked when folks don't seem to realize that they've previously been obligated to these rules. Part of the therapy I seek from this blog, requires me to provide those I share this globe with...at least a partial list of these rules.

1. When you come to my desk for help...you need to tell me what you "need" as well as what you "want". You will most likely get the former. Oh, and bring pen and pad...if I have to write it down for you...you'll get neither.

Commentary: This rule is about self respect, as well as respect for others. When I ask someone for help, I try to make sure that I really need help...and their help specifically. I've bugged the living hell out of folks in my younger years, and if I'm ever ridiculously affluent...I might send them some cash. Respect yourself, bring paper and pencil. Listen, and write. Another question in 20 minutes commands more respect than 5 questions now.

2. Political Arguments: The following sublist pretty much catches my thought on this.

First of all, we are now a couple hundred years old. Nobody's taking our country to hell in a handbasket in the next 15 minutes, or most likely the next 4 years. If they do, there will be solid reasoning, to any rational person that the previous 20 years also contributed to aforementioned journey in handbasket.

Be fair, and don't be a dumbass. Almost every political point debated in our Congress has extremely bright people on both sides. They did not forget their brains on the way to the debate. Slow down, learn some empathy, and think from someone else's point of view...be balanced, try to recognize your own faults...and speak respectfully. Or stay the hell at home.

Social Skills are required. Speak [normal tone of voice please, yes you yell], stop. Listen, reflect. Think. Ask....slow down, you really don't know what other people think, regardless of what that loud voice in your head just said.

Realize that nobody wins all the time. Nobody loses all the time. Stand up for your ideals, and be willing to lose gracefully with a kind word "I respect the outcome, but I do continue to believe a different solution would be more successful". If you can't lose, then you, my friend are a second grader that needs an ass whoopin.

Superlatives...shall be left at home. There aren't many political issues that "always raise taxes in every situation, always, every day, in every case, exponentially" So stop...again, speak sensibly, logically correct, or stay at home and keep articulating to the mirror.

Nobody's Ozzy Osbourne. Politicians of the other persuasion do not eat puppies on the debate floor...and for the most part, neither did Ozzy. Men and women in our Congress did not wake up this morning trying to screw you, or your party...unless you are a Page...then all bets are off.

God's comment, about fence sitting, was in respect to Jesus being God and all...George Washington never said the same about politics. You don't always have to argue, sometimes it makes you look cooler and sound smarter to say, "that's interesting, but I haven't really thought it all the way through, and I'm not sure which way I think is better at the moment". [Practice that in front of a mirror if you need to...you can do it, I did.]

That was a bit longer than I expected, so I'll call this a wrap. I do feel better.

About Me

I'm a stay at home while I work dad. My wonderful Dr. Wife sees kids of all shapes, sizes and colors, so I manage a couple of my favorite kids, then work, then manage those kids, then sleep...and do it again. I fly around the country for work sometimes, I'm not sure what happens to those kids when I do...but they manage.